Desert Flowers
by this account is cancelled
Summary: A blossom in the desert. Gaara and Sakura find comfort in each other. But what part will Sasuke play in all of it? GaaSaku other pairings insinuated but GaaSaku is the main pairing.
1. Mistakes

Alright, so I pretty much got this story from a song I heard. The song in a nutshell is trying to tell you that sometimes silence is better. That sometimes words hurt, that words are totally unnecessary. Well if you all are wondering it's Enjoy the Silence by Depeche Mode. Although the one I heard was the one re-done by Lacuna Coil. So you might be able to see some of what that song portrays in this story. I'm hoping to make this a multi-chapter fic, but it really depends because I might just leave it open-ended just like it is. I'll let you guys tell me. Well on to the formalities and I hope all of you enjoy this fic. Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

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**Desert Flowers**

"I hate you," Sakura said, her voice choked with tears. Those words more piercing than the sands the red haired shinobi controlled.

"Gaara, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that, I-" but that was all the pink haired girl could say before Gaara reacted. Those words struck home with him. It was almost like a switch in his head. All the pain of his younger years rushing back to him, compounded with the pain of hearing it come out of her mouth, out of the mouth of the person he cared for more than all else. Grains of sand began to fill the air. Slowly like how snow would fall in winter but in reverse.

"Ga-Gaara, stop it your scaring me." Sakura said, still more tear-filled. But he only stood there, expressionless. He looked up with freshly shed tears on his face. His face revealed nothing of what he felt. He look much like he used to, back when Shukaku influenced most of his actions. Sakura could feel his hurt, as tangible as that sand filled air. She could also see him hurting, because although his face showed no expression, his eyes could not lie. Those beautiful pearl blue tear-filled eyes, bright in the desert night.

"You-you lied to me," he managed to say, it seemed forced, as if something was trying to hold him back, as if it took a great deal of effort. "You never loved me, you LIED." He screamed the last word, with that the ground shook all around them.

_Shukaku_. Sakura thought, _Shukaku is trying to get out._

"Gaara don' let him out, fight Gaara," Sakura said this as she rushed forward towards him.

"GET AWAY," Gaara shrieked as he doubled over his hands holding his head, in what could only be interpreted as pain. As he said those words, a wall of sand rose from the ground in front of him and rushed at Sakura. She barely dodged it, but before she has time to react a second wall hits her. She's thrown back but lands on her feet. She feels something wet running down her arm, blood. Gaara looks up and sees her arm, the sleeve of her shirt ripped to shreds. He screams again, reacting to the sight of her blood.

"It's ok Gaara, you didn't mean to," a green glow begins to emit from her left hand, she quickly places it over her shoulder and heals her wounds. "See Gaara, good as new." But that does nothing to appease him. He falls to his knees and looks at her with his eyes one last time before falling to the ground, the sand around in the air falling at the same time. Sakura chooses now to rush to him. She quickly checks him over for any injuries. She finds none.

_**Of course you didn't find anything wrong with him, physically, it's all in his head.**_ Inner Sakura says in a accusing voice. **_It's him struggling inside._**

_Shukaku _Sakura tries to confirm with her inner voice.

**_No, that's partly it. It's him trying to cope with what you said. That's what's really hurting him._** Inner Sakura tells Sakura with her voice still keeping an accusing tone.

"Shut up," Sakura screams aloud to herself.

**_Well what do you want me to tell you, you want me to lie? I only show sympathy when sympathy due. You know as well as I do that all this is you fau-_**

"I said shut up."

**_As you wish. Ignorance is bliss after all._** Those were the last words that Inner Sakura spoke.

Sakura now looked down at Gaara. He lay face-down. She flipped him over, he was still unconscious. "Gaara wake up, I'm sorry Gaara, just wake up." She said while shaking him. She started softly but started to shake him harder when she got no response.

"Damn it woman, stop shaking me." He sat up but stayed with his eyes closed. She quickly embraced him.

"Gaara, I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am," she told them this pulling away from him to see his face. "Gaara, what's wrong? Look at me." He only smirked. Gaara of the Desert slowly opened his eyes. His pearl blue eyes were replaced by a vibrant yellow. They glowed in the night.

"Shukaku" Sakura stated horrified that he had been let out, that he had taken over Gaara.

"Well, you seem happy to see me." Shukaku spoke, shedding Gaara's voice. Shukaku's voice much more high pitched than Gaara's. And the way he spoke made him sound like he had little sanity, when in fact most would say he had none. Only being able to run on bloodlust and pleasure it brings him. Hearing that voice come out of Gaara's mouth was more painful than any wound she has ever suffered. "Well let's have some fun." He said, chills running down throughout Sakura's body. "Well how 'bout before I kill you, I make you suffer like you made this foolish boy, how does that sound my dear?" He slowly stepped forward. His last comment made her drop her guard. He quickly threw one of his characteristic sand shuriken made from the sand below them. It missed her face by merely inches. "Oh my, I missed. Silly me, I really have to work on my aim." He was just toying with her. Playing to make the best of what he could with his prey. To have the most fun he could. Though he remained in his human form, Shukaku was in control, and that meant he was more dangerous than she could imagine. She has seen him once like that, but she had been helpless against him before.

_And I'm helpless against him now._

**_What are you doing!?! Are you done with your little episode of self-pity? Well if you're not, too bad. You're not dieing here. Not without a fight your not. Not without fixing what you did. Not without bringing him back._**

_But I can't, what's the point in fighting._

**_Well if you can't win, beat some sense into him. You can at least use some of that training that Tsunade gave you. Now GO!_**

Sakura slowly stood up and rushed at him.

"Now little girl do you really think that you can hurt me."

Sakura did not stop, she did not hesitate for a second. She punched as hard as she could muster. Her punch was met by his Shield of Sand but with her inhuman strength, gained by training with one of the legendary Sannin, it meant little. Her punch went through and connected with Gaara's stomach, sinking deep into him. Shukaku/Gaara flew back nearly twenty feet. He shakily stood up, showing that it took him much exertion. Once he managed to get up on his two feet he was still hunched over in pain. He coughed blood, leaving some trailing down the side of his mouth, which he quickly wiped away.

"You bitch," Shukaku said in his usual manner but with a much more subdued voice. You could tell he was hurting. "You surprise me you witch, I guess you have improved some since I last was out, ha!, but do you really think that's going to beat me? This is going to be a lot more fun than I thought." Slowly he recuperated his strength. "Has your time with the nine-tails boy not taught you that we demons heal faster than you could ever imagine."

"Well let us see how much healing you can do after I'm through with you." At that moment Sakura attacked. She rushed forward, poised to attack. Sand rippled around Shukaku's feet, ready to defend against her attacks. Sakura disappeared right before him only to reappear behind him, she swung fast but his sand was faster. Her attack tearing through the sand once more. This time only connecting with air. Behind her Shukaku/Gaara slowly emerged from the desert ground, a canopy sand flowing off of him. Sakura's arm now trapped in his sand. It closed tighter and tighter around her arm, trapping her in her place.

"Let me return the favor," Shukaku snarled, he swung at her. Hitting her dead on where she had hit him moments ago, his hit offering a greater impact than what normally Gaara could do. The demon greatly augmenting the strength the body he inhabits. She did not move from her spot, she only slouched forward only held there by her arm trapped in the sand. "Oh, sorry my dear, is your arm stuck? Let me help you with that." The sand released but Shukaku took this opportunity to strike. Sand wrapped around his arm, forming his demon arm. He swung at Sakura and sent her flying. She landed, cushioned by the sand but nonetheless hurt. She coughed blood as she managed to sit up but made no attempt to stand. The green glow of the healing chakra began emitting from her hands. She placed both her hands over her stomach. After she had finished healing herself she quickly threw two kunai trying to catch Shukaku off guard. His sand stopping them with ease. She punched the ground in frustration.

"Tired yet?" Shukaku taunted.

"I'll beat you." Sakura said with contempt for the thing before him. Shukaku only stood there watching, biding his time, enjoying it. "_Sabaku Kyu_" Sand rushed around Sakura quickly encompassing her whole body. He slowly walked towards her, "I grow bored my dear, forgive me for ending this quickly, but you see, my sand has lost its much needed _red_ luster. Your blood will bring some of it back." He stood face to face with her, his eyes glimmering with the light of the moon and his bloodlust. He raised his still human arm and slowly began closing his fist, the sand surrounding Sakura tightening more and more. "I could kill you now but I want to hear you suffer. What are you smiling about?" His voice filling with rage at not seeing she was suffering like he intended her to be. He made the sand squeeze harder. She let out a scream of pain as the sand tightened its death grip, but her smile remained nonetheless. "WHAT ARE YOU SMILING ABOUT!?!" Shukaku yelled growing more impatient at Sakura's reaction. This was not going how he planned. This did not satisfy his thirst.

Sakura continued smiling, "You really want to know? Lift up your right foot." He just looked at her.

"Stupid brat" Shukaku spoke into the night. He lifted up his foot, his eyes widening more than you could think possible.

Sakura's smiled wider, showing her teeth stained with blood. "Boom"

The writing on the exploding tag light up for a moment right before it blew. The shock sent Gaara's body flying back, his concentration broken the sand squeezing the life out of Sakura. Her plan was not with out its downfall. Although the same sand that was killing her saved her from the full blunt force of the explosion. The shock still hurt her some. She stood looking over to where Gaara lay. She limped herself over to him trying to heal her wounds as best as she can. She notices that his arm returned to normal. He lay on his side, the dark circles around his eyes clearly visible even in the dark of night. She bends down closer to him.

"Gaara, wake up Gaa-" A jolt of pain in her side cuts her short. She looks down to see a spike of sand coming out of the ground piercing through her. "Gaa-Ga-Gaara, n-no" Sakura says in almost a whisper. The ground soaked in her blood bringing to it a dark tinge. The world around her is becoming dark, less clear. The edges of her vision blur. She knows is how much blood she has lost. Gaara turns up to look at her, revealing his yellow eyes to her. Shukaku smiling his old sadistic smile.

**_Well, your not done yet, Sakura. Your not done until you save him. _**Inner Sakura states in a calm and reserved voice, uncharacteristic of her usual self.

_I know. You don't have to tell me. I know._

_**Then you should know what you have to do.**_

_Yeah. I know._

Sakura's arms shot out, one grabbing the edge of the spike, her fingers digging into the sand; her other grapping Gaara by the back of his neck. She pulled herself closer to him, digging the spike deeper into her. She let out a groan of pain.

"Let go of m-"

"Gaara wake up, you baka." Sakura pulled Gaara up the rest of the way. She closed the distance too fast for Shukaku to react. She pressed her lips against his. The yellow eyes that looked at her widened in surprise to her quick action. Gaara's face went from one of utter surprise to one of shock. His eyes deepened into his old pearl blue eyes, those eyes, that this pink haired kunoichi fell in love with.

"Sakura, NO," Gaara screamed. The spike in her receded and returned to the sands that it came from. She collapsed but Gaara quickly grabbed her before she hit the ground.

"Why Sakura, why didn't you run?" Tears running down his face.

"Isn't it obvious you baka, I love you," Sakura managed to say before losing herself to the darkness of unconsciousness.

"Sakura, SAKURA, wake up" Gaara pleaded with the unconscious girl in front of him, but it was no use. She had lost too much blood, which the blood soaked sand under both shinobi could testify. Gaara of the Desert now grabbed Sakura and held her closer. After a few quick hand seals they were both gone in a swirl of sand.


	2. Goodnight, New Beginning

Well I know I took a while but here you have it, chapter 2. I'm sorry it took so long, I've been suffering from severe writer's block and have been very busy lately. Well I hope that you enjoy. And I hope to get you chapter 3 as soon as possible. Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

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**Desert Flowers**

**Chapter 2**

--Flashback--

She almost lost him that day. Seeing him on the ground next to her, dead, almost made her lose her mind. She tried to heal him, but not even she or anyone else can heal the dead. The shock of how sudden it was numbed her. How could he, a jinchuuriki just like Naruto let himself be killed. How could the person she loved let himself get killed. How could he leave her alone in the world?

She loved him with all that she was. Sasuke was in the past. Her love for him was unrequited. She now loved the boy that lay at her feet. And you may wonder why she loved him, but that cannot be answered. When one loves they cannot answer you why, they just do, all they can tell you is that it comes from the heart. All that Sakura knew is that there was something underneath the facade he hid himself behind. And she was determined to bring it out. _Was_ determined. All her chances with him were gone. She was alone again in the world.

She lets her eyes rest on him. He looked so peaceful, just like he would look if he were asleep. This made it even more unnatural. A side-affect of having Shukaku, the one-tailed raccoon-dog demon, sealed inside of him was the inability to go to sleep for fear that his mind will be eaten away by the demon while he slept. It was painful to watch but she could not look away. Chiyo, an elder of Sunagakure, the woman that saved her life just moments before in battle with Sasori. Knelt next to the lifeless body of the Kazekage. She with the assistance of Naruto, who supplied the chakra needed, resurrected Gaara using her forbidden technique but at the cost of her life. And just as quick as Sakura lost him, he was returned to her. She could be seen crying that day but only partly for losing Chiyo, or for almost losing Gaara, it was mostly tears of happiness, for gaining back her one love. Not that he knew it yet, but she would make sure he would. She could not hold these feeling for him anymore. She would show him that he was not alone from now on.

Over the course of the next week following that fateful day Gaara spent it recuperating at his house. He was in need of a nurse, but Sunagakure was in great need of medic-nin. Sakura saw this as an opportunity to get close to him. No one questioned her motives for wanting the position of his nurse, especially with her background as a medic-nin, moreover having been trained by the legendary Sannin, Tsunade, who was thought of as the world's best medic-nin. It was the perfect plan. He was remarkably more open than he used to be, even though he still came off as closed-off from everyone. He only seemed more open when Naruto was around.

_Of course, they have the most in common, they know what each other are going through. They both have had the same harsh lives, both of them were hated by the people of their own village._ Sakura thought to herself one day while attending to Gaara.

Sakura absentmindedly went about his twice-daily treatment. Her hands, glowing green as medical chakra seeped out of them. She made quick sweeps across Gaara's body. He was sleeping but something seemed weird to her. His chakra flow was behaving differently than what she thought was normal. She disregarded this as her hand passed over his stomach. Her bracelet caught the edge of his shirt raising it up, exposing his stomach. The slight blush hidden away by the lack of light in the room. She looked down at him admiring what she saw by the dim moonlight.

**_Damn he's hot! Imagine if he didn't have his shirt on at all. He's a real catch wouldn't you say?_** Inner Sakura rambled on in her head.

_No I don't think so. It's totally outrageous, it's Gaara for the love of God._

She tried to convince herself of this. But her hand seemed to have a mind of its own. It lost its green glow and began to trace a line down his abs. She moved from top to bottom, slowly reaching his shorts. She looked at the button on his shorts, thoughts that should not have been there popped into her head. She began imagining him with nothing at all. More than that, she began imagining him inside her. How it would feel she could only imagine. Her fingers began toying with the button. It was teasing her, beckoning her to unbutton it. A hand shot out and grabbed her by the wrist.

"What are you doing?" Gaara's voice rang out in the dark room, his voice menacing and cold.

"Ga-Gaara, you're hurting my wrist." He loosened his grip a little, but repeated his question. She chose this moment to pull herself free. She walked to the window and stared out into the night.

_What was I thinking, now he'll never look at me with a straight face again. And was that a glint of yellow I saw on his eyes. No! Shukaku is gone. Akatsuki took that damn tanuki demon out for good._

_**Are you so sure? What proof do you have?**_ Inner Sakura said in her nonchalant tone of voice, almost as if all this bored her.

_Yes I'm sure. He almost died, or don't you remember!_ She said this to herself in an attempt to quell her growing worry, but to no avail. She looked back at him, his sky blue eyes seemingly darker in the darkness of the room.

_See, I was just caught by surprise, his eyes are just fine. No yellow to be found._ She told herself this, her worry subsiding. _All that is left to do now is make amends for what I did. Hopefully he won't hate me or think of me weird._

"Look Gaara, I'm sorry, I hope th-" Sakura never finished her sentence, a hand appear in front of her, a hand floating in midair. It pressed one finger against her lips, beckoning her to stay quiet. She did not realize where this hand had come from until her eyes adjusted themselves back to the darkness in the room. The hand was solid enough but sand flaked and dripped off at the bottom where a wrist should have been. It gave the whole situation a eerie ghost-like feeling, very dream-like. She looked at the shinobi lying on the bed in front of her. He looked up at her but made no move to get up.

Gaara realized that he had snapped at her, he felt angry with himself. Shukaku had weakened when they had tried to extract it but it didn't mean that the raccoon-dog didn't slip out on him every once in a while. But he mostly had controlled over it. The most noticeable difference was that Gaara was able to sleep, no longer an insomniac, he gained much of his control back over his temper as a result. But he kept it a secret that he still held the one-tailed demon inside of him. Everyone else was oblivious to the fact that the extraction failed. And he aimed to keep it that way.

"I'm sorry Sakura, I snapped at you for no reason." Gaara's voice lost all of its coldness. He was warm and comforting, something very few people, saw very little of. Sakura somehow knew this, a blush came over her as he went on.

_Good thing he can't see me in the dark._

"I have just been a little restless lately." Gaara continued.

"Gaara, I just want to tell you, about earlier I-" Again the hand pressed one finger to her lips, quieting her once more.

"What thing?" Gaara played stupid, he didn't know what else to do. "Goodnight Sakura. I'm tired." But what he really wanted to do was call her "blossom".

_My cherry blossom._ Gaara thought. He closed his eyes and went back to sleep.

"But Ga-," She stopped herself knowing it was useless, "Goodnight Gaara"

_My desert rose._ Sakura silently thought to herself.

Sakura slowly made her way to the door. She stepped out into the hall and took one last look inside.

**_Damn he's even hot when he sleeps, I wish he wouldn't have woken up, I would have more than enjoyed to-_**

_No, you wouldn't have, like I'd allow that... Would I?_

**_Would you?_** This signaled it was time to leave. She whispered under her breath. "Sweet dreams my desert rose." She reluctantly closed the door and walked back to her room. Little did she know that the red-haired shinobi lay there awake, hearing her words. Before he could think about what she had just said, Shukaku interrupted him.

**Almost had you there. So close to getting out. It's just a matter of time now.** Shukaku spoke in is normal high-pitch voice, breaking out into laughter after his taunt.

_Shut up you damn demon. You don't own me anymore. You're trapped in me, you're going to listen to me now._

**I'm not one to follow orders. But just know the first chance you give me I'm taking it. So what if I can't get you like I used to, so what that I can't get you when you sleep anymore, I know... other ways. Just know the moment I get out I'm going to be hungry, and that little pink-haired girl is looking mighty tasty.** Shukaku burst out into his high-pitched laughter.

_'Other ways'... explain yourself._ But Shukaku only kept on laughing. _Silence!_ Gaara screamed forcing his will on the demon, effectively stopping his laughter, in fact stopping him in totality.

**I-I'll get out... and when I do, boy... you'll regret it...** Shukaku forced the words out, the pain of Gaara's control over him apparent. Gaara forced his will on him again, this time completely shutting the demon away.

So many things happened in that short amount of time. Gaara had much to think about, but soon realized he was too tired to think much. The blackness of sleep slowly enveloping him. _Sakura... goodnight..._ Sleep took its hold.

Outside the moon made its way to the horizon, chasing the sun but never catching it. As it reaches the horizon, the orange haze opposite the moon signals a new day, a new beginning.


	3. Paperwork

Alright you guys, here is chapter three. I hope you like it. It's a little on the long side but I hope it doesn't get boring for you. Well that's it for now. Oh, and please review, it's much appreciated. Well until next time, bye. Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

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Desert Flowers

**Chapter 3**

When Gaara woke up that morning. Everything that occurred to him the night before seemed like a dream. He found it difficult to separate what he thought were dreams and what had really happen.

_Did she really call me hers? Her 'desert rose?'_ He began to roll out of bed when he felt a severe weakness run through his body. _Well, my condition hasn't changed. I can count that as real._ He laughed to himself and laid back down. _I can't wait to get out of this room. But for now I have to recuperate my strength._ And with that sleep slowly overtook him once again.

--One week after failed extraction--

Gaara reluctantly rolls out of bed. He has recuperated enough of his strength to be able to walk around and do the formalities that come with being Kazekage--and by formalities, it meant paperwork. He took a shower and got dressed in his usual attire. He walked out into the hot desert day. Immune to the heat, he made his way through the crowded streets of Suna as quickly as he could. All the while dodging and hiding from the usual fan girls that seem to have too much time on their hands and seem to like spending it chasing him down. By the time he reached his office he was exhausted. Gaara opened the door to his office and stood wide-eyed. What made him react this way laid on his desk.

_Oh God..._

There were five stack of paperwork covering most of the free area on his desk. As he walked closer he saw that all the papers were awaiting his approval.

_I've been gone a week and this is what I get._

He sat down behind the mountain of paper in front of him and sighed. "Better get a start on this. I'm going to be here for the rest of my life." He sighed again and grabbed the top most document off the closest stack and grabbed the seal of the Kazekage and began stamping, approving the documents.

_...approval of new school... _-stamp-

_...plans for reconciliation with Konohagakure..._ -stamp-

--Five hours later and three stacks later--

_I am going to kill someone. Damn this paper work it's never ending._

A knock at the door brought Gaara back from his thoughts of the never ending work.

"Who is it?" Gaara yelled at whoever was behind the door. A little to harshly he noted, but understandably enough, he had been there for way too long with little rest.

"I'm sorry Gaara, me and Kankuro just needed to bring you something."

"What is it?" Gaara said, his curiosity getting the better of him, making him forget the paperwork in front of him.

"Well Gaara it's a surprise, close your eyes and turn around."

"Temari, stop playing around, I'm busy, just tell me, what is it?" He let show some of his irritation in hopes that it would get his older sister to talk.

"Now now, please." She said pleading with him. Letting her eyes water a bit.

"Alright, don't beg like a dog." He said this spinning his chair around so he faced the wall behind him. "Now what?"

"Count to ten then turn around."

Gaara growled but he listened. "One, two, three..."

Temari signaled Kankuro, who was waiting at the door to come inside.

"...four, five, six..."

Kankuro walked inside with another stack of papers as big as the others on his desk, while he walked to his desk and silently put it next the other two piles, Temari walked outside and sneaked back in with a second pile. She put it next to the pile Kankuro placed. They both made their way back to the door.

"...seven, eight..."

Kankuro grabbed Temari's sleeve. "Wait sis, I have to see his face when he turns around, it's going to be priceless." Kankuro whispered to his sister with a wide grin across his face.

"God your hopeless. Well you may have a death wish but I want to live to see tomorrow." She shrugged off his hand and walked out to the hall and down a bit of the way. She turned around looking back at her brother. "Your right, this is going to be priceless." She whispered this under her breath, knowing what was going to happen.

"...nine, ten." Gaara finished his count. Temari heard the squeak of Gaara's chair as he turned back around. Kankuro burst out laughing.

"Gaara you should see your face it's priceless. Wait! Gaara it was a joke, no Gaara, STOP!"

Temari saw sand wrap around Kankuro's ankle and get dragged into Gaara's office. A second later she heard shattering glass.

"Temari, come here." Gaara spoke calmly, which Temari found much more unnerving than if he would be screaming. She hesitated but walked to the door, knowing that it would be worse for her later if she ran away now. She looked inside and saw traces of sand on the floor. The window to Gaara's left held a Kankuro sized hole. She looked now at Gaara, and worried if the window to his right would have a Temari sized hole after Gaara finished whatever he wanted to say to her.

"Sister, it seems that brother had an accident. Could you call someone to fix this window?"

"Ye-yes Gaara." Temari stuttered.

She made to walk away, but Gaara interrupted her. "Temari next time you or Kankuro want to play a prank on me, there are going to be two holes in these two windows."

"Ye-yes Gaara." She walked away, her the fear of the situation receding, she managed to crack a smile but not before she walked out into the hall and put some distance between her and her little brother. "Let me go see how my idiot brother is doing." Temari broke out laughing as she made her way out into the street. A small crowd had formed around Kankuro's body. She could see that a hill of cushioning sand under Kankuro.

"He could have killed me Temari."

"He could have, but he also broke your fall, so give him some credit. How could a jounin like you have such poor judgment and anyways you deserved it."

"How did I deserve getting thrown out of a two-story window?"

"I told you not to stay in the room." With that both siblings broke out into laughter.

"Your right sis, next time I'll get him, without out getting caught."

"You never learn do you?" Temari said helping up her brother. "Come on lets go home."

"Yeah. He really has changed. He's almost sociable.

"Almost." They both broke out laughing again.

Things couldn't be better."

"I know what you mean. Never a dull moment. We have our brother back." Both siblings walked back to their home talking about how everything couldn't have been better since Gaara became Kazekage, how things have changed for the better since Gaara changed on that day, the day of the failed invasion of Konohagakure. Sunagakure was not only where they lived, now it was their home.

Back at Gaara's office the red-haired sand shinobi was back at work. The only difference this time was the smile on his face. He was happy. He had changed. It was hard but he strived for it, and won. He now had people that loved him. The village had largely accepted him, even being a former jinchuuriki. The villagers no longer feared him.

_Well I still have a demon inside. But they don't need to know that. But they still accepted me when they knew I had Shukaku inside of me._

He even had his own personal fan club, which consisted of a group of young girls that chased him down every chance they had. He finally fit in. He had a life that many would strive for, that many would kill for. He lost himself in those thoughts of happiness. He leaned back on his chair staring at the roof letting his memories flood back into his mind.

Another knock at the door woke Gaara up from his daydream. He lost balance and toppled back on his chair, luckily his sand cushioned his fall.

_If I see another pile of papers, I'm literally going to kill her._

"Temari, you better hope that I don't see another pile of papers, or so help you I'll use my sand to-" Gaara began to say with a tone of frustration but quickly stopped himself when he saw a flash of pink at the door, instead of his older sister. His cheeks blushing a shade close to the young kunoichi's hair color.

"Well Gaara, I came here for your check-up but you seem to be doing much better now." Sakura said cheerfully, and rather sarcastically.

"Oh... um.. hi Sakura... I thought you were someone else." Gaara said rather shyly. He had not expected her. "Yeah, I'm feeling better... thanks to you." His cheeks going from a blush pink to straight out red, rose red, matching his own hair color.

"No biggie."

**_That's all you could say, 'no biggie'. I could slaughter you. Here he finally complements you and that's all you could say._** Inner Sakura screamed in frustration.

_I know, give me a break. He just caught me by surprise._

**_Well fix it now!_**

She walked into the room and closed the door behind her. A slight breeze coming in through the window Kankuro recently exited from. "I came to check up on you." Sakura felt a warm breeze and looked at the shattered window. "And why is there a hole in your window?" She asked not even masking the tone of confusion in her voice.

"Well I'm fine. I don't need anymore treatments. And as for the window... let us just say my brother had an accident." He made to stand up and succeeded but rather shakily. He much rather avoided any medical treatments, it made him feel weak. He had to act strong in front of her. She was the first person ever, beside his siblings and Naruto, to ever show him compassion. But even the others couldn't match up to her. He loved her. Sakura's voice broke him from his thoughts.

"Oh yeah, real fine." Sakura said in a sarcastic tone. **_Fine, fine is right, more like hot!_** "Now let me take a look at you."

"No, I said I don't need it."

"Well, I say you do!" She pushed him down back into his chair and began her check-up. Her right hand began growing green and she placed it over his eyes. "Now stay still or I'll make you stay still."

Gaara made a move to get up but Sakura's free hand pushed him back down into his seat. She gripped his shoulder and held him there. It was no use to fight in his weakened state.

_Not that it would make much of a difference if I was a hundred percent. Not with that ridiculous strength._ He relaxed his body and let his pride go.

Sakura watched him relax and enjoyed the power she had over him. Just think, right now she was overpowering one of the kage, she couldn't believe it. She looked down at his face. She was covering his eyes so he could not see the apparent blush on her face. With out thinking and without moving her hand away from his eyes she leaned in. Gaara could feel her breath on his lips. His usual composure broken by the simple breath that his lips.

"Sa-Sakura?"

"How are you feeling Gaara?" She asked disregarding anything he said. _What am I doing? This isn't me._

**_Yeah it's me. Now let me show you how to it's done._**

_No!_

After an internal struggle Sakura won over her counterpart. Her struggle made her lose her balance. She slipped and landed on her knees in front of him. Her hand gripping his upper thigh for balance, was left in a very precarious situation. She turned as red Gaara's hair, Gaara turned redder but made no move to remove her hand. She looked up and was even closer to his face, his lips, than before. "I-I'm sorry, I slipped." Her hand was still over his eyes, bringing more light to their faces. Not that Gaara could see.

_**Shut up and just kiss him! Isn't it what you wanted?**_

_Yeah but..._

_**'But' nothing. Just lean in and kiss him.**_

Sakura stood up and took her hand off his eyes, the green glow quickly dissipating until it was gone.

"Um... I... I guess that we're done here. You still need a bit more bed rest before you can do anything too rigorous."

**_Baka..._**

"I'll get going now." She got up and made her way to the door. She opened it but it quickly shut. "What-" She turned around just to be face to face with the sand shinobi. His eyes glowed in the light of the now setting sun. He looked down at her, but didn't say anything.

"How did you get behind be so fast?" Was all that Sakura could manage to say.

"My sand." Sakura looked down and saw that what Gaara said was true. Around his legs was sand now sliding off, its job of helping him run to her accomplished.

"Ga-" She was cut short by Gaara's hand. He placed a finger over her lips.

_Just like before. Except no sand._

"Hush, enjoy the silence, my little cherry blossom." He said this leaning down and in until there lips met. It was a moment they never forgot. The moment they kissed, the room suddenly dimmed. The sun hit the horizon, signaling nightfall was soon approaching. They parted, neither said anything. "I-I love y-you Sakura." His blush grew in intensity.

She giggled.

_He's so cute when he's nervous._

_**More like adorable.**_

"I love you too, my cute little desert rose." Gaara made another move to talk but Sakura interrupted him. "Silly, take your own advice. With that Sakura kissed him, but now their kiss was much more passionate. She nudged Gaara towards the sofa at the left side of his office. She tossed him on the sofa and laid on him. They kept kissing for what seemed like an eternity, although if that moment lasted forever they would care less. The room finally became dark, signaling the end of sunset, and the beginning of a new night. She stood up and walked over to the window. A cool breeze came in making Sakura shiver from the sudden cold.

"It's amazing isn't it Gaara? It's amazing how a desert can be so hot in the day, and yet, feel so cool in the night." She turned around when she didn't hear a respond. "Gaara?" Sakura softly shook him. He stirred in the slightest and let out a low snore.

_Hmm. So peaceful. But you must be uncomfortable on this couch. Plus, it's getting to chilly in here._ Sakura thought to herself in a matter-of-fact tone of voice much like Inner Sakura would have sounded.

She kneeled beside him and place a hand on his chest, feeling the muscles underneath his shirt.

**_He's too hot! I can't wait until I-_**

_Well you're going to have to wait, and so will I. He needs his rest now. We can have our fun later. But at least... he's mine now._

Sakura raised her hand again and formed seals from memory. She leans down and gently rises with Gaara in her arms. In a puff of smoke they are gone. Transported to Gaara's home. Not wanting to wake his older siblings Sakura quietly walked into his living room. She had been in his house so many times over the course of the last week, that she knew every nook and cranny of his house. She placed him on his couch bent down and stole one last kiss from him before she would have to leave.

_"_Goodnight my desert rose. Sweet dreams." Sakura whispered in his ear. She stood up, sneaked to a closet down the hall and brought back a large blanket. She wrapped him in it. She took a few steps back and smiled, at the same time forming the same seals as before. Another puff of smoke and she was gone.

"...night Sakura... my... cherry blossom..." Gaara could be heard mumbling in his sleep. But his voice was lost in the emptiness of the room.

And a goodnight was what she had. To tell the truth, it was one of the best nights that she has ever had.


	4. Diamond Oasis

Here you are everyone chapter four. I hope you all like it. It took me a bit to finish it and I may not of proofread it as good as I would have wanted but nonetheless it's alright. Um.. just so you all know, Sabaku Taiso is the technique Gaara used against Kimimaro. It's translated as Desert Imperial Funeral. All the technique is Gaara sending shockwaves through sandy grounds and compresses them to crush anything underground. And the prefix -dono is just a more honorific version of -sama. It would be more or less translated into lord or lady, depending whose name you put it on. Now that that's out of the way, thanks to all the people that have reviewed my story so far. Please keep reviewing. I live off reviews, it keeps me happy and writing. Anyways, that's that. Let me let you get back to the story. Until next time, bye. Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

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**Desert Flowers**

**Chapter Four**

Both kunoichi and shinobi woke up that morning in a relatively good mood. Both got up and took a shower, they prepared for the new day ahead of them. Once Gaara had gotten out the shower and dressed he looked at his clock and saw he was late. The only way he could make it to his office now in time was by using his sand.

_But I haven't been strong enough lately. I've been having to walk halfway across the village. But after my use of sand with Kankuro I'm pretty sure I can do it._

Gaara grabbed his formal robe, given to him when announced he would be the next Kazekage, and wrapped it around him, letting it settle into place. He concentrated and a circle of sand at his feet appeared. It slowly gained in height until it enveloped him. Just as quickly as he was covered in darkness the cocoon of sand collapsed, leaving him in his office.

_It worked._ Gaara thought to himself, surprised.

He looked at his desk and saw brand new stacks of papers awaiting him on his desk. The window had also been fixed.

_Both Temari's doing I'm guessing._

He stared at his desk for a while longer. He didn't feel the same about his work like the day before. Now, he could tolerate it. He felt good. His mood was good. He now sat behind his desk. His hand again holding the seal of the Kazekage just like the day before. His mind was on the work before him, but his heart was only on one thing, one person, his cherry blossom.

He didn't hear the knock at his office door. So when Kankuro and Temari came in with more paperwork and walked up to his desk Gaara had not notice them. Temari was the first to speak, being that Kankuro still vividly remembered the previous day and had not wanted a repeat of it. The only reason he was there was that Temari had forced him. She had gently told him that if he had to refuse her offer of going with her to take Gaara his work, she would have done something far worse than anything Gaara could ever do. And from the look in her eyes he knew that she was not bluffing. Now they stood in front of Gaara's desk, papers in hand, not as much as yesterday, but still a substantial amount. Noticing that Gaara had not reacted to their presence, Temari was the first to speak.

"Gaara-nii-chan." Temari said in the most girlish innocent voice she could muster, in the hopes that Gaara would act more calmly.

Gaara jumped, startled by their entrance. His sand reacted to his feelings of surprise formed a wall of sand behind him ready to defend. The wall also covered most of the light coming in through the windows.

Both sibling dropped the papers they held in their surprise.

"Wait Gaara!" Both Temari and Kankuro yelled in unison.

Quickly noticing that it was his brother and sister and that his sand reacted without his knowledge, Gaara retracted the sand. It fell as fast as it had formed, letting the afternoon sun rush back into the room.

"I'm sorry!" Gaara spoke in a tone of voice uncommon to his usual cold monotone voice. He quickly rushed around the desk and started to pick up the papers his siblings dropped. "I got startled and my sand just reacted on its own. Sorry." His words came fast and were jumbled. Kankuro merely watched his younger brother pick up the papers, he was in shock seeing Gaara acting this way. Temari was the first to identify what they both heard in his voice, it was fear.

_But what can he be afraid of? What can have... oh no..._ Temari thought to herself realization dawning on her. Her brother as strong as he seemed on the outside was remarkably fragile inside. She realized what Gaara feared the most. He feared losing someone close to him. He didn't have to many people that he loved, but his older brother and sister were among the few. And how his sand acted with out his command made it clear to him that he was still a danger to them, that because of him he could lose them. He had not forgotten how he used to be, and that ate away at him daily. And watching him kneeling over on the floor frantically picking up papers like the scared child that he really was made Temari see that he needed them as much as he needed to breathe. She looked at him and the sight of him like that brought tears to her eyes. She quickly quelled them. She bent down and grabbed both his hands. Gaara only looked up at her seeing the compassion and understanding in her eyes. She quickly pulled him into a tight embrace.

"It's ok now, everything's fine. You can stop trying so hard." Temari spoke in a soft voice, but a voice that still carried across the room.

Kankuro who was always a step behind finally caught up. Though late, he understood what was happening now. He stepped closer with a compassionate smile on his face. He put a hand on Gaara's head, his fingers lost within the shinobi's red hair. "Come on little bro, we knew that wasn't your fault. We know that's not you anymore." He laughed a little before continuing. "We're always going to be here for you, Kazekage-dono." The smile on Kankuro's face broadening. Gaara managed a smile at hearing his brother use that formality.

_Dono... lord..._ Gaara thought.

Temari pulled him forward and held him with both her hands on his shoulders. "We'll always love you Gaara-nii-chan. Don't forget that." With those simple words she let him go. He looked up at both of them but was unable to do anything. "...thank you..." Gaara managed to say after a minute.

"No prob." Kankuro said still retaining his smile.

"Always." Temari followed her brothers stead. All three sand shinobi stood and quietly said their goodbyes.

"See you at home Gaara." Kankuro said right before closing the door and making his way out of the building with Temari. Gaara now knew that he had a home. He had people who loved him back. He now knew that it was possible for people to care for him, for Sakura to care for him. The last strain of inhibition eroded away. He could now pursue what he wanted, her.

Now in better spirits he went back to work. Gaara now sat in his office working twice as fast to get everything done. He had to make a stop before he went home. He had to stop by Sakura's house. She had been staying at his house for a majority of the time since she was there. He had needed the constant medical attention just in case his condition worsened. But as Gaara recuperated his strength it would have seemed weird staying with him since he was no longer in need of the constant attention. She now stayed at a house that Gaara had acquired for her. It stood only a few blocks away from his own house. Its close proximity to his home was no coincidence.

A few hours later he stood from his desk, all of his work completed. He rushed out of his office as best he could with the strength he had. When he got outside to the night air, he slowed his pace. He took in the view of the stars overhead. He loved how the night's cold breeze brushed against his skin as it blew by. He robe flailed in the wind. He walked on entranced by the light of the moon. He finally reached his destination. Gaara now nervously stood on her porch going over the words that he would tell her.

He had not seen Sakura since last night, when they both confessed their love to each other. At first that seemed like the hardest thing for Gaara, but the butterflies he felt at the pit of his stomach was testament to the opposite.

_What do I say to her? Why is this so hard._

**Pathetic...** Shukaku sneered. He had not spoken in days, not since Gaara showed him his newly acquired control over the raccoon-dog demon.

_Shut up!_ Gaara screamed at him. And Shukaku did. It was very contrary to the demon's usual outbursts. Gaara had to find out what he was up to but he had more pressing business at hand. A creaking sound brought him out of his internal struggle of thinking of what to say to Sakura. He looked up and was face to face with the pink haired kunoichi, emerald green eyes met sapphire blue. A blush had formed on both their faces at the unexpected encounter.

_Too soon. I haven't thought of what to say to her._ They both stood there for what seemed like ages.

"May I come in?" The words left his mouth before he could stop himself.

"Hai" The mutual stare into each others eyes broke off as Gaara made his way inside. Sakura walked passed him and signaled him to sit in the living room, which was a straight line from the front door. "Um.. I-I'll be right back. I need to go check on... the stove." And with that Sakura ran off.

_The stove? She was on her way out the door. Why would she need to check it?_

Sakura now stood in her kitchen feeling more nervous than she has ever felt before.

**_'The stove'. Was that the best you could do?_**

_I just needed time to think._

_**About? Hmm. About nothing, now go back in there and finish what you started last night.**_

_I don't know what you're talking about._

_**Don't play coy with me, after all I'm you. Now go to him.**_

_Alright..._

Back in the living room Gaara sat thinking.

_Damn it, I need to think of something. Um... DAMN IT! Why can't I think straight? What can I do? Well I know what I want to do, I want to ask her out, but I want it to be special. But what's more special than just asking her out? How can I really tell her I want to be with her forever? I got it..._

He looked up when he saw a glint of pink from the corner of his eye. She came in and was about to say something when Gaara sat up and cut in first.

"Sakura, come with me, I want to show you something."

"O-Ok." Sakura said sounding more shy than what she normally was.

_What's wrong with me, I'm sounding as shy as Hinata used to be._ She was right. Hinata had seldom sounded shy lately. She had grown to be straightforward with her thoughts and ideas. Everyone said this as an improvement in the young kunoichi. She had always been the shyest of the group. The reason behind the change was her constant contact with Naruto. She had started going out with him recently and his personality must of rubbed off on her. Fondness for her teammate, her friend, flooded in. She missed him, she missed all her friends. She missed her team, Team 7. But lately it had just been her and Naruto, Sasuke had abandon them. She shrugged off thoughts of the Uchiha.

_Naruto really has a knack for changing people._ Living proof of that now stood at the door waiting for her to follow.

"Sakura you coming?" Gaara said trying to read her face.

"Hai." Sakura said more cheerfully and ran to him. They both walked out into the night. Sakura shivered at the sudden cold. She began walking but felt a sudden light pressure around her shoulders. She looked at Gaara with inquisitive eyes, then her gaze fell on her shoulders. He had placed his robe around her, shielding her from most of the cold. Underneath his robe Gaara wore his usual attire, but that made him look no less handsome in Sakura's eyes.

"Follow me." He said beginning to walk away from the center of town.

"Where are we going?"

A faint smile overtook his lips. "It a surprise."

"You should smile more." Sakura told him as if she were saying a fact. "It looks good on you."

Gaara's smile widened in the slightest. He walked closer to her and wrapped one arm around her, pulling her to him, but did not slow his pace.

"Can you tell me what this surprise is, Gaara-kun? I'm curious." She said rather slyly trying to pry information out of the red haired shinobi that walked next to her.

His smile widened again. "Well if I told you then it wouldn't be a surprise." They walked on in silence until they reached the edge of the village. Further into the desert Sakura could see a few lone palm trees lazily swaying in the light breeze. All else was sand.

"Now I'm really curious." Sakura said her tone of voice confirming what she said.

"Not too much further now." So she obliged him and walked further into the desert. The light from the village growing dimmer in the night. Their destination seemed to be the palm trees in the distance.

When they had finally reached it Sakura was surprised to find nothing. Why had he brought her all this way?

**_Maybe he's going to propose._** Inner Sakura teased.

_Don't joke around like that._

Gaara removed his arm from around her.

"Now turn around, don't peek."

"Alright." She turned around careful not to reveal her crossed fingers.

Gaara stepped forward the palm trees now only twenty feet away. He closed his eyes in concentration. He bent down and slammed his open palms into the sand.

_Sabaku Taiso. _

Sakura quickly turned around as she felt the shockwaves rush under her. She looked forward passed Gaara to where the palm trees stood. To their right a huge crater now occupied the space. Water exploded from the base of the crater not unlike a geyser. The geyser slowly shrank as the crater was filled with water. When it reached the top of the crater the geyser finally stopped. What was left behind was a beautiful oasis. Sakura ran toward it and kneeled at the water's edge. She looked up at Gaara and he nodded back signaling that it was safe to drink.

"It comes from a deep reservoir under Sunagakure. The reservoir has many streams the spread out throughout the desert. That is our secret to surviving in the desert."

"It's beautiful Gaara." She said looking at him before turning back. She cupped her hands together and scooped up water into them. She drank greedily never tasting such pure water, not even in the mountains of Konoha. When she had had her fill she looked back at Gaara her eyes widening. A tendril of sand from his hand sank straight into the ground. The tendril widened more and more as more sand sank into the ground. Then it stopped.

"What are you doing?"

"Mining."

"What!"

"You'll see." Gaara flipped his hand, he now held it palm up. The sand stated coming out of the ground into his upturned hand. More and more sand came, at first it was only one tendril but a second one connected to his palm, then a third then a fourth, until there were seven. The sand hit his hand with tremendous force but Gaara seemed unaffected by it. Sand poured over the sides of his hand. Gaara quickly closed his hand into a fist disbanding the tendrils of sand.

He now walked over to the oasis where Sakura now sat wide-eyed.

"Sakura-sama, have you heard of the old legend of the Diamond Oasis."

"Yes, when I was little my parents told it to me once. Supposable somewhere in the deserts of the Land of Wind, there is an oasis purified by deposits of diamonds along with the other usual minerals. It was said that the water was the most pure water that can be found anywhere. But that's just a bedtime story."

"Well the first Kazekage didn't believe so. So he searched endlessly for it. And one day he thought he found it so that is where he established Suna. He believed that the water would make sure that we could survive in the desert, and the diamonds would let us support ourselves financially. Although the actual oasis is nowhere to be found today, the reservoir that fed that legendary oasis still exists."

"Gaara you can't really believe that can you? It's just a fairy tale."

"Hmm. How did the water taste?"

"Really good. Some of the best water I've tasted." Realization hit her. She knew where he was going with this. "Gaara, you can't be serious."

He only looked at her with his smile spread across his face. "I am."

"But if that's true then that means that there are diamonds in the ground also."

"How else do you think a hidden village in the middle of the desert could support themselves?"

"I still find it very farfetched. Sure the water tastes good but that doesn't mean anything."

Gaara got down on one knee next to Sakura and opened his hand in front of her. The remaining sand in his palm slid off revealing a ring. The band itself was made of compressed sand. Contrasting the brown of the band, a brilliant diamond sat encrusted in the band. It was the biggest diamond Sakura ever saw. It shone in the moonlight, it was made even brighter from the reflected light from the crystal clear water. Sakura's eyes shined as she stared at the ring.

"Will you marry me?" Gaara said mustering all his strength into not stuttering. Sakura stood wide mouth looking into Gaara's eyes. He looked all the more handsome in the moonlight. She closed her gaping mouth and licked her lips. A flood of emotion rushed through her mind. Fear, happiness, anxiety, determination.

**_Stop it! Damn it, why are you letting things get in the way. You know what you want to do so do it._**

_But what if it's not the right choice. What if-_

Inner Sakura interrupted. _**You think too much. Good thing I'm here if not you'd be totally lost without me.**_ Inner Sakura's voice softened, it turned caring and understanding. _**Now go do your thing.**_

She poised her lips to speak. She spoke words that the two will forever remember.


	5. The Calm Before the Storm

Ok... this chapter is a lemon. I'm sorry for those of you out there that don't like lemons but I had to get it out of my system. I wrote this through sever writer's block. It was a bit forced so going back over it, this chapter could have came out much better. As always I'm doubting my writing but this time it's a little bit worse. Well this is my first lemon so please go easy on me. And just to be on the safe side let me warn you again: This chapter is a **LEMON**. I'll make sure to fill in any gaps in the next chapter I write so you don't have to read this one to understand the rest of my story. Alright always I hope you enjoy, and thanks to everyone that has reviewed my story so far. Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

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**Desert Flowers**

**Chapter 5**

Her lips poised to answer. Her eyes glimmer in the moonlight. The red haired boy kneeled next to her awaiting her response. He stared into her eyes, her eyebrows furrowed in thought, his eyes wide in suspense and anxiousness.

"Baka..." Sakura whispered to him. All his hopes dropped from him. The weight that left him when he proposed doubled now on his shoulders.

_She said no..._

Shukaku laughed his high pitch laugh inside Gaara's head. Gaara too much in shock to will him quiet.

"Sa-Sakura..." Gaara managed to say with the little strength that remained. He had lost all power to move.

"...baka..." She repeated. "Of course I'll marry you silly." With that she jumped forward and wrapped her arms around him. She had said yes. He had regained his ability to move again. He gratefully accepted her embrace and returned it with his own. They both kneeled by the waterside of the oasis reveling at being in each other arms. He looked down at her a full-fledged smile across his face. She looked up at him and move closer gently giving him a kiss on the lips. He looked down in awe. He held in his arms the girl of his dreams, his true love. Gaara pulled her up as he move down returning the kiss but with more passion. Sakura felt Gaara's tongue on her lips, she gratefully opened them allowing it entry. The kiss got more and more passionate until they were rolling on the ground trying to get leverage on each other to gain control of the kiss. They parted breathing heavily.

"...back... back to your house... now..." Sakura gasped but still added a sexual tone.

Gaara picking up on her tone jumped towards her, beginning to kiss her as passionately as before. He mustered some of his strength willing it into his sand. Both shinobi lay on the desert ground in each others arms. Sakura oblivious to the sand making its way around them, forming the canopy to transport them away from there. Before Sakura could register that the night was getting darker for an unknown reason the canopy closed. It reopened in Gaara's room.

_We were just lying down. Why am I standing up?_ Sakura thought through her vertigo. He had transported them into his room but had not wanted to waste time standing up from the floor, so he made the canopy open when they were standing. Gaara seeing that Sakura was disoriented took this opportunity to push her on his bed. He jumped on her pinning her arms above, showering her neck with gentle kisses. Sakura moaned softly under him but that did not stop him in the least.

"Gaara-kun..." Another moan. "...take me..." Sakura managed between her moans. That was all Gaara needed to hear. His hands released her arms and made their way to her stomach. Sakura wore a black top with black shorts which she wears under a white skirt. The skirt has four slits on all four sides, front, back, left and right. The skirt was more for show than for anything else but now served as a nuisance for the red haired shinobi that lay on top of her. Gaara now fought to undo the button to her skirt. Growing more and more frustrated he summoned his sand to his hand. The sand quickly molded itself into the shape of a knife. With a flick of his wrist the button was off, falling lazily off the bed and rolling even more lazily across the floor until it just tipped over and fell.

"Fucking button." Gaara growled under his breath. "What are you laughing for?"

Sakura was giggling, not able to restrain herself from it after seeing Gaara's short battle with the button. "Let me..." In one swift motion Sakura lifted Gaara and pushed him on to the bed. She now hovered over him before standing up. Her skirt falling off her and sliding down her leg all the way to the floor. Gaara could only watch as Sakura began to undress herself. She started with her top. She easily lifted it over her head revealing a black lace bra that just barely passed as clothing. It left little to the imagination. She turned around giving Gaara a teasing look as she lowered her shorts. She followed them all the way to the floor and stood up slowly. Her panties were the second half of the set to go with her bra. She turned around and this time, it left nothing to the imagination. She took one step forward before landing on top of Gaara. She struggle to take off his shirt but managed. She kissed him wildly while undoing the buttons to his pants. Soon they were both in their underwear. Their clothes thrown all around them littering the floor.

Gaara was shy at first. He had never let someone see him like this, he had never let someone be this close to him before. Sakura was another story. She had let someone else get close. She had let him in, but he had hurt her. Hurt her and abandoned her. The Uchiha had abandon everyone.

She straddled him resting on his stomach. She twisted her arm behind her grabbing at Gaara's boxers. She found what she was looking for. She grabbed and let go and rubbed Gaara's manhood. Gaara breathed heavier with every grab and let out a sigh with every release of her hand.

"Stop teasing." Gaara said between sighs.

"Oh... alright." Sakura answered in a playful voice. But she didn't stop before having herself one last grab, this one harder than before. This time Gaara let out a gasp of surprise. "I'm done." Sakura said holding back a serious case of the giggles. "I'll be right back." She ran off before Gaara could even object.

_"She's so frustrating."_ Gaara thought angrily to himself. _"But you got to love her."_ He added in a gentler tone.

Inside the bathroom Sakura stared at the mirror. Her face was dripping with water from the faucet underneath her. She cupped her hands and ran them under the tap. Water collected in her cupped hands. When it was half filled she splashed it on her face. Turning off the tap she turned around picking one of the guest towels from the wall to dry her face. Looking into the mirror she could see her reflection. She had spent many hours of her life in front on mirrors talking to them as if they were someone else. You could say this is how Inner Sakura came about. She came from a need of a friend and of strength, a need for the inner strength she lacked. She now stared into the mirror, concentrating on it. The person in the mirror slightly changed. Her facial features strengthened. Her eyes shined with confidence and... defiance. The person in the mirror tilted her head slightly and spoke in a voice none to different from Sakura's own.

**_"Well well, we haven't talked like this in a while." _**Inner Sakura spoke, personified as the reflection that Sakura now saw in the bathroom mirror.

"True, but now it's an emergency. I don't know what to do."

**_"Don't they teach sex-ed in class anymore?"_** Inner Sakura said in a very sarcastic tone.

"Shut up I know how to do that. It's not like I haven't done it before."

**_"This would be your... um let me see."_** Inner Sakura raised her hand and started counting with her fingers. **_"Are we counting number of times or people? Well, whatever lets go with people. One...two... Oh yeah real experienced. This would be your second guy you sleep with. Not to mention the first one wasn't much of one. And here I thought that someone from the Uchiha clan could really give it to you. What a let down. Talk about being short-changed."_**

"Shut up... I don't want to talk about Sasuke. He left us and he's better forgotten."

**_"Too bad you're not taking your own advice."_** Inner Sakura said shrugging her shoulders. **_"Well to the matter at hand. You want me to do this for a little bit. Just until you get the hang of yourself?"_**

"Yes." And with that Inner Sakura took over the dominant role. The face in the mirror soften and became uncertain before going back to what it was.

**_"Alright let's do this."_** Inner Sakura said but not from inside Sakura's mind but from Sakura's own lips.

_Well you better not screw this up..._

_**"I won't."**_

_...or try anything stupid._

_**"Damn, stop your worrying."**_ With that Sakura now controlled by her inner persona stripped off the last of her clothes letting them drop on the floor.

**_"It was too hot to be wearing those anyways. Or at least it's going to be." _**She made her way to the door, an two inch slab of wood now separating her from her love.

In the next room Gaara waited impatiently. He had long since shed his last piece of clothing. He lay watching the door to his bathroom intently, he lay covered by a thick white comforter.

_What is keeping her so long? I'm starting to doze off._

Gaara rolled onto his back staring blankly at his off-white roof. His eyes slowly closing. It became too hard for him to keep them open, after all it was a long day at the office. Just as he drifted off to that surreal world we call sleep a voice called out to him.

"Gaara-kun." A hot breath whispered in his ear. A familiar voice but slightly different called out to him from the waking world. "Gaara-kun." It repeated this time putting on a more sensual tone in her voice. Gaara slowly opened his eyes to see Sakura kneeling next to his bed.

"Sakura you sound different." Gaara said inquisitively.

"It must be your imagination silly." Sakura denied even though she knew full well that he was right. You could say that both of Sakura's personalities joined. Her outward and her inner selves becoming one. What Gaara heard different in her now was Inner Sakura's tone of self-confidence. She cut him off before he could ask anymore questions. She leaned closer letting her lips brush against his ear and let out a soft sigh. "Is there anymore room for me in there?" Sakura asked still keeping her sensual tone of voice.

"Always." Gaara responded sliding closer to the opposite side of the bed leaving room for her. She stood revealing herself to a now wide-eyed Gaara. She teasingly stretched her body, raising her hands above her head fully revealing her body, before jumping under the comforter again covering herself.

Gaara moved towards her, wrapping his arms around her, pulling her closer in a strong embrace. They could feel every inch of each other as they lay together. Sakura leaned in and passionately kissed him, Gaara returning it back with more passion. They stayed like that until Gaara rolled over and now laid on top of her. Gaara could feel the heat from Sakura's core radiating on him. The head of his organ gently rubbing against hers. Her heat beckoning him in. He only looked into her eyes and she into his. She raised her hand placing it on the back of his neck. Sakura pulled him closer. Their lips met. She bit his lip and letting out a small whisper in the process.

"In me... now..." She let out in a aggressive tone. Letting go of his neck and his lip. Gaara did not waste time. He leaned in letting himself press against her opening. He could feel how wet she was. He slid in slowly, Sakura let out moans of pleasure with each thrust the Gaara gave. This went on until Sakura came.

"So... how many lucky women were before me?" Sakura gasped through her ecstasy.

Gaara smiled and slightly blushed. "Counting you... one."

"Wow..." Sakura said looking up at the roof. **_He's a VIRGIN. And it was that good. I can't wait until he gets some practice._** Inner Sakura screamed in her head.

"Well I had my fun. It's your turn." Sakura said pushing him on his back mounting him in the process. She lifted up and eased Gaara into her. She could feel him deep inside her. She began to move up and down. It had been a while since Sakura had done this but she had not lost her knack for it.

"Liking it so far?" Sakura teased at him.

"Hai."

"Good then you're really going to love this." Sakura began to move back and forth with her hips. She continued pumping, her face not hiding the glee she felt when she saw him gasp and moan at each thrust. She kept on pushing him deep in her. Usually being on top was better for the girl but she could see he was enjoying himself.

"Sakura.. I-I think I'm..." Gaara spoke in a low voice struggling to hold himself back.

Sakura's only reaction to this news was to thrust harder with her hips bringing him deeper inside her. She threw her thoughts of how risky this was out the window. She craved another orgasm. She came hard, but felt something else. Gaara came inside her. She could feel his warm fluid spread inside her. She loved the feeling.

**_I could do this again._**

Both shinobi collapsed on the bed. They moved closer to each other bringing their arms around one another.

Gaara moved up on the bed bringing Sakura to lie on his chest. She listen to the rhythmic beat of his heart.

"Aishiteru... Gaara-kun." Sakura whispered softly not moving from her place at his chest.

"Aishiteru my cherry blossom."

"...my desert rose..."

They lay in bed a while longer letting the setting moonlight fall on them. Sakura's wedding ring on her hand shining in the darkness in the room. It was like this that they fell asleep. Outside the world turned. The sky became a brilliant orange with the rising sun before becoming its usual blue. They both slept peaceful oblivious to what lay ahead for them. This truly was the calm before the storm.


	6. Dwindling Calm

Alright everyone here you have it, chapter six. Thank you to all those who have been with me so far. I don't know how much longer I'm going to go with this story but well... we'll see where it takes me. Well as always your reviews are greatly appreciating. Please tell me you likes, dislikes, anything about this story. Well I'll try to get the next chapter out soon, although I'm taking a couple days off from writing. I do have to catch up on my reading. Almost done with this great book someone who reviewed one of stories recommended. Anyone who is curious it's Cell by Stephen King. Well until next time everyone. Bye. Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

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**Desert Flowers**

**Chapter 6**

Gaara and Sakura woke up the next morning in each others' arms. Gaara was the first to wake. He looked at Sakura who laid half on him and half on the bed. She looked peaceful when she slept. A smile crept onto his face. Sakura stirred and returned to the waking world. She looked at his smiling face, a yawn escaped from her lips.

"And why are you smiling?" She asked playfully.

"Just admiring the view." Gaara spoke matching her playful tone. "What time is it?"

"It has to be almost noon." Sakura answered. Gaara's eyes widened at hearing this.

"Shit I'm late for work. I have to shower... no time." Gaara jumped out of bed quickly picked up his clothing on the floor around them. "Where is my shirt?" Gaara frantically said.

"Gaara-kun..." Sakura whispered out.

"What is it?" He said looking up from his hurried search. Sakura held out her arm with her index finger pointing. At the end of her finger she held his shirt. He smiled and reached for it but Sakura pulled it away before he could grab it.

"It's going to cost you."

The sand shinobi looked at her and smiled. "What is it going to cost me?"

"I don't know..." Sakura teased twirling the shirt in the air. Gaara leaned in kissing her before she had time to react. In the same swift motion he liberated his shirt from her hand.

"I'm sorry, but do you take rain checks?" Not waiting for an answer Gaara of the Desert disappeared in a swirl of sand. Sakura sat there a bit longer before she decided to move. She got up still sore from last night's activities and made her way to the bathroom neglecting the articles of clothing on the way. She turned on the shower letting cold water splash out of the showerhead. She hated hot showers. She made her way to Gaara's closet and found what she was looking for. She borrowed one of his robes and walked back into the bathroom. She put the robe on a hook behind the door and jumped in the shower. She let the soothing water run down her body.

_Today is a new beginning._

A swirl of sand appeared in Gaara's office knocking some of the papers of his desk. He appeared in the middle of his office looking at his desk. From behind him came two familiar voices.

"Where the hell have you been?" They both said in unison.

"We've been having to fill in for you." Temari spoke not hiding the frustration with her brother.

Gaara turned around to face them. "I overslept." Gaara said trying to put it as innocently as he could muster. Which for him wasn't very much. Both of his siblings stared at him with confusion. "What?" Gaara asked when he saw the looks his siblings gave. Kankuro was the first to answer.

"You look like hell little bro." He said going directly to the point. Kankuro was right. Gaara had haphazardly thrown on his clothes. His hair could be said to be unkempt but that was an understatement. Gaara hadn't noticed his appearance in his hurry to leave. But now that he took notice he saw what his brother meant.

A smile crept on Gaara's face. "I overslept." He repeated. Both siblings looked at one another and then back at Gaara. They knew there was more to the story than he was saying. Their proof was right in front of them in the shape of a smile. Gaara rarely smiled. And mostly when he did, he was to try to get away with a lie.

"Did you go out drinking?" Temari questioned.

"No!"

"Did you get laid?" Kankuro blurted out.

"N-No. And why are you questioning me?"

"I knew it. Who was the lucky lady?" Kankuro kept on ignoring Gaara's question.

"I overslept and that was the end of it." Gaara said in a tone that the others knew meant them to stop unless the risked bodily harm.

"Oh... alright." Kankuro said.

"But we'll talk about it when you get home. We're done for the day so we'll be there by the time you're done. Bye nii-chan." Temari said getting up and making her way to the door.

"Later little bro." Kankuro said doing the same as his sister.

"Bye." Gaara said to both of them. His sibling left and he was left alone to finish his mundane work.

_God I hate being Kazekage._

Outside, Temari and Kankuro now walked together back to their house. Discussing what had happened back at Gaara's office.

"No Gaara did not sleep with anyone. Don't be so stupid."

"I still think I'm right."

The two bickered until reaching their house. At the door Temari pulled out her keys, unlocked the door and both of them walked in. Immediately they heard the running water of the shower from overhead. Kankuro only looked at Temari with eyes that said _I told you so_. And if his eyes didn't get the message across his lips would.

"I told you so. Now let me hear it." Kankuro said to Temari enjoying proving his older sister wrong.

"Oh alright. I was wrong you were right. Now let's go see who this mystery woman is."

"Lets."

They both made their way up the stairs and stood in front of Gaara's room, his door closed. They stood there and waited for the mystery girl to come out. Both felt very defensive for their younger brother. They wanted to know if this girl was the one that Gaara deserved. They bided their time.

Inside Sakura turned off the shower. Still dripping wet Sakura stepped out of the shower and put on Gaara's robe. It was big on her and slipped off the side of one shoulder, bringing it dangerously close to revealing her breast. She tied it in the front but the slit ran up three-fourths up her thigh revealing most of her legs. She walked to the bed ready to lie down again but her stomach growled in protest.

_Hmm... better get something to eat._

She walked to the door and opened it. Temari, Kankuro, and Sakura all went wide-eyed in surprise.

"Sa-Sakura..." Kankuro stuttered.

"W-What are y-you guys doing here?"

"We live here." Temari answered coolly.

"Oh..." Sakura managed. Kankuro only watched her. Looking at how the robe stuck to her, tracing the curves of her body. He had seen little women who had a better body than the kunoichi in front of him. His eyes trailed from her exposed shoulder and made its way down her body to her exposed thighs. Both kunoichi picked up on this and Temari acted before Sakura. She smacked her brother across the back of the head grabbed him from the collar of his shirt and led him down the hall to his room.

"Stay in there."

"Hey... you can't make me stay in here." Kankuro growled.

"I said stay." Temari whispered to him. "Unless you want our dear little brother to find out that you were ogling his girl."

"Whatever." But that was all Kankuro needed to hear. He slammed the door to his room and was lost from view.

Temari walked back to where Sakura still stood. Temari smiled. "Come on, get dressed we're going shopping. We need to get you some clothes that fit."

Sakura smiled back. "Hai." Sakura closed the door to Gaara's room and picked up her clothes from the floor. She put them back on and made her way back to Temari's room.

"I'm ready."

"Just a minute." Temari answered. The door opened and Temari stepped out into the hall. "Alright let's go. And you're telling me the whole story between you and my brother." Sakura nodded in acknowledgement.

The two kunoichi could be seen that day walking through the village centre carrying more bags than seemed possible, chatting back and forth as Sakura told her rendition of how her and Gaara were now due to be married. Back at Gaara's office the sand shinobi could be seen working until past sunset.

"Alright, done." Gaara said looking out and noting the dark sky. "I'm out of here." He walked to the door and stepped out into the hall. He stepped out into the night air loving how it felt against him. "I think I'll walk back home tonight." Slowly he made his way back to his home.

"I think I'll take the scenic route though." Gaara said to himself taking a way off course through the town centre. He paused as he passed in front a jewelry store. He took a deep breath and opened the door and stepped in. He knew the family that ran this shop. Once inside he began walking to the back of the store.

"Gaara-kun!" A boy of no more than five came running out of seemingly nowhere hugging Gaara.

"Tenchi! Show the Kazekage some respect." The owner of the store came from a door leading out back to his house. He now frowned at his son.

"It's alright, I'm the one that told him not to use formalities with me."

"But Kazekage-sama to not use them to someone of your stature it's-"

Gaara cut the store owner off. "I strongly dislike formalities."

"Of course Kaze-" The store owner corrected himself. "Gaara-sama."

"Good, now I'm looking for a ring, a wedding ring but not with a gold band, it's too traditional."

"Hmm... well I may have an idea." The store owner took out a notebook. On closer inspection Gaara could see it was a sketchbook. "I design my own rings." The owner answered Gaara's unspoken question. The store owner flipped through the pages of his sketchbook searching intently. Tenchi growing bored left the room to go play somewhere else.

"Found it." The store owner flipped the book around and pushed it towards Gaara showing him a sketch of a ring. "I don't know what you're looking for but you may like this."

On the paper there was three sketches of a ring from three different angles. The ring seemed to be woven together from three different pieces. The three different pieces had three different shades of color, they crisscrossed one another throughout the ring in an infinite circle.

"The three pieces you see isn't a engraving, it actually is three pieces of metal that are woven together to form the ring." Before Gaara could ask what they were the store owner answered. "The three pieces are gold, silver and platinum. It's funny, I came up with the design after I couldn't decide what metal to design my next ring with. So I went to myself, 'Why not use all of them?' That's what I did with this ring." The store owner smiled in his nostalgia.

"It's perfect" Gaara let out in a hushed tone. "Is it ready yet?"

"No." The store owner sighed not looking up from his sketchbook. "I just need to get the materials and I can have it finished in a week. It has been slow lately you understand, I can't be affording to go out and buy material for any of my rings. I just need to sell some of the ones I have at the moment."

"A week you say." Gaara spoke with a smirk. "Here." Gaara tossed him a small pouch from his back pocket. The store owner opened the pouch to reveal some pieces of gold and chunks of diamonds. The store owner only stare wide-eyed. It took the store owner a few moments to unglue his eyes from the pouch and look up at the still smirking Kazekage.

"The should cover the cost of the materials and the cost of the rings. Make a pair for me and my fiancé. Please have it in a week. Arigato." The sand shinobi added before making his way to the door.

"Wait Gaara-sama..." The store owner ran to Gaara. "This is way too much. I can more than make do with half of what you gave me."

"Well, I think that amount is just fine. I have too much as it is. Keep it. You need it more than I do."

"Before you go Gaara-sama, who's the lucky girl?"

Gaara smiled thinking of Sakura's face again. "Her name is Haruno Sakura."

"The Konoha shinobi? She's very pretty, mighty fine catch."

"Yes, yes she is." With that Gaara walked out into the cold night air.

The store owner walked back to his place behind the display case. His wife hearing Gaara's exit came out amazed that they actually had a customer.

"Who was it honey?" His wife asked.

"It was the Kazekage. He was looking for a ring."

"For who now?" The store owner's wife said inquisitively.

"His fiancé, Haruno Sakura, the Leaf med-nin." The store owner still said awestruck by the amount of money that lay in front of him. "And he paid upfront." He said pointing down at the counter where the leather pouch sat bursting with precious metal and even more precious stone.

The store owner's wife feeling faint rested herself against the wall. "I can't believe it."

"I know, we won't have to worry about money for a while now."

"That and he's getting married." The wife said still resting her weight against the white wall to her immediate left.

"I know." Was all that the store owner managed to say.

All that ran through the store owner's wife's head were thoughts of telling her friends news of the Kazekage's marriage. Undoubtedly her friends would tell their friends and in turn they would tell their friends and so on. In a hidden village full of ninjas, information did not take long to travel.

Gaara walked through the now empting streets of the town centre. The last person he expected to see was the person he most wanted to see. Sakura stood facing away from him chatting the breeze with Temari. Temari saw him in the distant and gave him a wink that seemed to say _"I know."_ What she knew was obvious to him.

_Sakura, you told her, didn't you?_

He made his way through the few people left in the streets. Sakura too occupied with her conversation and balancing all her bags did not sense Gaara's approach. He stood right behind her and let his arms work around her waist. Sakura jumped dropping her bags.

"No!" Sakura screamed trying to catch whatever she could but she was too slow. She braced for the sound of all her bags hitting the pavement, especially the glassware she bought. She winced for the oncoming torrent of noise but none came. She looked up and saw all her bags were not spread across the floor where they should be but suspended in the air, held there by sand.

A single word ran passed through her mind. _Gaara._

Sakura turned around still held to her place on the ground by Gaara's arms.

"Hey there." Gaara simply said.

"Hey back." Sakura said pressing herself closer to him giving him a light kiss on his lips.

"Hey Temari."

"Hey little bro."

"So no need to ask what you two are doing?" Gaara plainly stated.

"Nope no need." Sakura answered playfully. "We were just looking for a big strong man to help us with our bags."

"Really? Find one so I can kick his ass for messing with my girl?"

"No need I have me a big strong man right here." Sakura still kept her playful tone.

"Well it seems I haven't found one, so when you two are done with your little moment do you mind helping me with my bags?" Temari said growing frustrated with her little brother and her friend.

"Of course sis." Sand hooked the handles of Temari's bags freeing her from her burden.

"Thank you Gaara-kun." Temari said sweetly.

"We just finished." Sakura said.

"Well then let's go home." Gaara said letting the girls take the lead while he followed. His sand gripped their bags chasing Gaara like railcars follow a locomotive. Temari raced ahead when in sight of their house, leaving Sakura and Gaara behind.

"Well I should be getting back to my place." Sakura said rather downtrodden.

"You mean _our _place." Gaara said nudging her forward. Sakura smiled back at him kissing him in the cheek.

"You're right, our place."

Just as they made their way to he door Gaara felt something. Someone watching. But not just that, because it was more than that. He could feel the hatred in whoever's eyes bore on him. He quickly turned around. He swung his hand in a wide arc, sand formed in the shape of three shuriken and one kunai. They flew in a straight line at a nearby tree. A hard sharp sounded echoed in the dark as the sand kunai and shuriken struck wood. Sliced leaves fell to the ground closely following them grains of sand fell.

"Gaara what's wrong?" Sakura spoke fast already in a fighting stance.

"Nothing, I thought I saw something." Gaara spoke keeping a level voice but not looking away from the tree.

_I could have sworn... red eyes bearing down on me. Such hatred in them._

"Let's go inside Gaara." Sakura began sounding worried.

Gaara catching her tone changing began to worry himself.

_Can't let her worry._

"Yeah, let's go inside. It's getting chilly out here. As anyone can obviously see." Gaara looked down at Sakura's top and added rather sarcastically. "It really is a bit _nippy _out." Gaara said adding extra emphasis on nippy and rushing inside his house, the sand and bags trailing behind him. He hoped that little joke would distract her. It more than accomplished that.

"Nippy?... NIPPY!... COME BACK HERE!..." Sakura yelled chasing him inside.

Temari let Sakura rush past her before going back and closing the door behind them. She looked out feeling a weird chill rush down her spine. She couldn't shake it off. She closed the door glad to feel the warmth of the house. Her chill now gone, soon a memory forgotten. Crashes could be heard throughout the house. Temari walked calmly back to the kitchen, grabbing a cup from the cupboard before sitting down with Kankuro.

"Looks like we ain't going to have anymore quiet nights around here." Kankuro commented.

"Yup, you're right about that little bro." She sat down pouring some orange juice from the pitcher Kankuro had brought out moments before. They both smiled.

Sakura came running in gasping for air. "Have you... guys seen... Gaara?"

"Nope." Kankuro was the first to answer. "Cold night outside, eh Sakura?"

"WHAT!" Sakura had Kankuro out of his chair and held him in the air holding him up by his collar.

"It was a-a joke." Kankuro stumbled over his words, regretting what he said.

Gaara had come down the stairs to see what the commotion was.

"Your mistake love, I found you." Sakura spoke to Gaara without turning around. She dropped Kankuro back into his chair. "I'll deal with you later." She turned and gave chase to Gaara who was already halfway up the stairs.

"Scary." Temari commented nonchalantly.

"Damn right scary. They make a perfect couple." Kankuro laughed picking up his cup of orange juice and taking a sip.

"Yup, no more quiet nights for us."

Outside the gates of Konohagakure a shadowy figure snuck his way through the thick forest. At the village gate he zipped by as to avoid detection. Once in the village the dark-haired boy slowed his pace. Walking quickly in the direction of his house. He walked under the glow of the overhead lamps. Dawn was soon approaching. Something jolted him to a stop. His body would not respond. Something forced him to turn. His dark eyes meeting dark brown ones.

"Where do you think you're going?" The brown-eyed boy spoke lazily.

"Back to my house, if it's any of your business." The dark-eyed boy answered back.

"That's all well but you know you are not permitted to leave the village. Tsunade's orders."

"I didn't leave the village." The boy answered becoming more and more irritated with this game of twenty questions. "Now if you don't release your jutsu, I'll just have to break out of it."

Another boy stepped out of the shadows. His traditional Hyuuga robes fluttered in the slight breeze. "I highly advise against that. I'm not as patient as Shikamaru and not as trusting as Naruto."

"Sasuke lets not make this anymore troublesome than it needs to be. Why did you leave the village?" Shikamaru asked.

"And where did you go?" Added Neji activating his byakugan in the process.

"I don't have to answer to you. Now release me." Sasuke's eyes went from his usual black to a sinister red, three tomoe appearing in each of his eyes.

Sasuke jerkily moved his hand to his weapons pouch overcoming Shikamaru's Shadow Imitation Jutsu. Neji quickly threw a kunai at Sasuke.

"Chidori Nagashi."

Rings of electricity formed around Sasuke. The kunai stopped inches from his head held there by bands of electrical current. The kunai stood suspended for only a moment longer before it was flung at Shikamaru. He quickly evaded it but his jutsu was broken. With his movement back Sasuke rushed at Neji. Shikamaru sent his shadow after him again.

Sasuke ran forward before feeling a sharp pain in his right shoulder. It stopped him in his tracks. Just as fast as he stopped he was going the opposite way lifted off his feet. He fell sharply to the ground. His back hit first, his head followed. The ground beneath him cracked with the force of the hit. His feet hit the ground last. He lay there momentarily out of breath. His sharingan deactivating. He glanced to the side seeing a hand. Claws instead of fingernails adorned this hand. From four of the five fingers droplets of blood dripped off to the floor. He looked up to see red cat-eyes staring down at him. The face it belonged to contorted in anger.

_Not cat eyes... fox eyes._ Sasuke mentally corrected himself.

"Sasuke what the hell do you think you're doing?" Naruto glared down at him. Sasuke slowly stood up staring back at the blond boy who brought him down. He put a hand over his torn shirt. Four puncture marks could be seen through the torn openings of Sasuke's shirt, they bled freely.

Shikamaru and Neji just stood there amazed at what Naruto had just done. Neither of them had ever really seen what Naruto was capable of. Although Neji had gotten a taste at a prior chuunin exam where he and Naruto faced off against one another.

"Nothing." Sasuke said not hiding his irritation.

"The only reason you're allowed out is because I vouched for you, but you're making me take it back. They want you under lock and key and you're not giving them a reason to do any different. They're thinking of even letting Ibiki have a go at you." Naruto said the anger in his voice getting worse, a side effect of using kyuubi, you get some of the demon fox's tendencies the more you draw power from it.

"Whatever." Sasuke answered looking away from Naruto.

"Go back to your apartment... NOW!" Naruto roared out letting some of his demon fox chakra flow out of him blowing a gust of wind in all directions. Naruto smiled. "Unless you want a repeat of last time?"

"Whatever." Sasuke repeated in an almost inaudible whisper, disappearing in a whirl of wind and leaves.

"Neji keep an eye on him." Naruto spoke suppressing his chakra and letting his eyes return to their usual blue color.

"How troublesome." Shikamaru spoke sitting under a tree resting his back against it. Neji looked into the distance undoubtedly looking to see if Sasuke indeed went back to his apartment.

Naruto walked to where Shikamaru was sitting and sat on the grassy floor in front of him. "He just needs to adjust back to village life." Naruto sighed.

"I don't think he can." Neji said nonchalantly. Deactivating his byakugan seemingly satisfied that Sasuke was in his apartment and not leaving anytime soon.

"Well I think all of us can change if we really tried. You should know that better than any of us Neji." Naruto said through a small smile on his lips. Neji only grunted. "It's just that it's harder for some of us."

"How do you think he's going to react about tomorrow?" Shikamaru asked.

"Well I say it's a coin toss. Either he gets better or he stays the same. I don't think he can get much worse than how he already is." Naruto said running one hand through his blond hair.

"You keep thinking that Naruto. Well I'm off. We have a long trip ahead of us tomorrow." Shikamaru sighed.

"Well I'm dying to see Sakura-chan, I want to see how she's doing over there. Busy I think, her not sending even a postcard our way. Won't she be surprised when we bring Sasuke along."

"That sounds about right." Neji added electing to stand rather than to sit like the rest of them. "Real thrilled."

"Well bye Naruto." Shikamaru stood up. He looked at Neji and nodded. "Well see you in the morning which by the looks of it isn't too far away." The horizon was brightening, you could almost see a shade of bright orange mixing and blending with the dark blue of the dawning sky. He stood and walked down the little path that led back to his house.

"Well see you in the morning Neji." Naruto said to Neji as he walked the opposite way Shikamaru did. "Tomorrow to Suna."

"Yes. See you tomorrow." Once Naruto was out of hearing distance Neji whispered to himself. "I have a bad feeling about this." He began walking back to the Hyuuga clan's house where he lived. He took the road heading the way Shikamaru went earlier. "A real bad feeling."

_Sometimes things that are lost, aren't meant to be found again._ Neji thought to himself as he made his was back to his house. He still needed to pack for their journey to Sunagakure before morning. It was very unlike him to be late in preparing.

That morning eleven people could be seen standing at the gate of Konohagakure. The Konoha Eleven as they were called after Sasuke went AWOL stood at the village gate, with the exception of Sakura of course thus making them ten not eleven. Sasuke's presence there brought their number back up from ten to eleven.

_Maybe everyone will call us the Konoha Twelve since the Sasuke is back._ Kiba thought to himself.

"If I do not get there first I must do five hundred laps around Suna." Lee exclaimed running off ahead of the group. Tenten and Neji being on the same team as Lee had grown used to his random bursts of enthusiasm. They only sighed now.

"Well lets go!" Naruto yelled starting everyone off towards the Land of Wind.

That morning in Suna, Gaara and Sakura slept undisturbed. They were unaware of the _surprise_ that was quickly moving towards them. They slept in each other's arms for another hour before Gaara had to go to work.

_Damn I hate being Kazekage._

After the morning ritual of getting up and ready for the day ahead of him was done. Gaara kissed the still sleeping Sakura and left her a note that he was at the office.

"Aishiteru." Gaara whispered and disappeared in a whirl of sand.

Somewhere in the deserts outside of Sunagakure, dark eyes stared blankly ahead. Eyes that contrasted the brightness of the desert. He had see her with him, with that monster. She had picked Gaara over him.

_Sabaku no Gaara. I lose to no one. What is mine is mine. And she is mine. I'll teach you what happens to those who wrong an Uchiha. _He looked at Naruto who led the way of their small group. Next to him ran Hinata. They talked amongst themselves.

_You will have to wait... for now. I have more pressing business. Personal business. And Sakura you will have the privilege of continuing my clan. I will endow you with my children and the future of the Uchiha clan. You will help me revive the Uchiha clan._ Sasuke gave a maniacal smirk as all of them raced through the desert. He clenched his fist letting sparks of electricity flow through it.

Behind them a dark cloud loomed in the horizon. A storm cloud rolled off the mountains of Konohagakure as if announcing a bad omen. Sakura and Gaara calmly went about their day in Suna as Sasuke and the other raced their way towards them. Little did they know that their calm was quickly eroding away. Soon the storm would be upon them. And this thunderstorm went by a name, Uchiha Sasuke.


	7. The Storm

Alright you guys, I'm sorry I've kept you guys waiting this long. It's been crazy busy at school. Anyways here you guys go, chapter seven. This chapter was really hard to write for me so please forgive me if it isn't up to par. Well like always I appreciate all your reviews and I hope to get more. Anyways before I ramble on for too long just want to tell you guys if you have any ideas or whatever just email me. And if you guys have any pairing you wish me to try my hand at just ask. Well I'm done with talking, on with the story.**  
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**Desert Flowers**

**Chapter 7**

Today the Kazekage's office was dull and dark. Little light now shown through the windows to either side of Gaara's desk. Where bright sunlight washed through on most days now only came a dull light. The light of the sun that managed to pierce through the thick gray ceiling of clouds.

Gaara stood looking out one of his windows, looking out towards the direction of Konohagakure. Something seemed to draw his vision that way.

_Why am I feeling this way. This tension. Not only mines, even Shukaku seems on edge. Maybe it's just the storm. Maybe...  
_

He looked on towards darkening skies.

A knock came from behind him. He turned around to see bright pink enter the room. Sakura always had a way of brightening any room she walked into, but today not even she could break through the gloom that settled over Suna.

"Hi there love." Sakura said enthusiastically walking to Gaara's side giving him a kiss on the lips.

"Hey there." Gaara answered. He moved closer returning the kiss with more passion.

"Slack day today at the office?" Sakura ventured after parting from the kiss.

"Yeah, with the storm coming," Gaara raised his hand and pointed out the window towards the oncoming dark cloud. "There are very few mission requests. Everyone is just hunkering down."

"So it's going to be a big storm?"

"Yeah, it gets strengthened by the mountains outside of Konoha and usually just passes over your village. When it gets here, that's when problems start. It's ironic that out here in the desert our biggest worry isn't a sandstorm but a thunderstorm." Gaara gave her a small smile. "But we have grown better prepared each time it passes."

"Alright." She smiled back and pushed him back into his chair. Before Gaara could even react she was on him. She straddled him leaning down to kiss him.

"Sakura where did this come from?" Gaara said surprised.

Sakura laughed and shushed him. "Just relax... and enjoy."

Outside the gates of Sunagakure the Konoha Eleven stood with Sasuke standing in the rear.

"Come on Hinata, I haven't seen Sakura-chan in so long, same for Gaara." Naruto almost sang in his enthusiasm.

"Naruto we're all tired, we don't have your stamina." Hinata answered. "Go ahead without us. We'll be right behind you."

"Oh... alright." Naruto gave Hinata a kiss and ran off ahead towards the Kazekage's building.

"Damn he's energetic." Kiba said speaking to no one in particular. Shino nodded in agreement.

"That he is." Neji said.

"Hey Shikamaru isn't that Temari over there?" Kiba said nodding his head in the direction he meant.

Shikamaru looked up and saw her. Everyone could plainly see that Shikamaru and Temari liked each other, just as Hinata and Naruto, but they were too shy to do anything.

"Why are you telling me?" Shikamaru answered Kiba, slowly realizing where they were heading with their comments.

"Oh come on Shika, it's obvious you like each other. You are as obvious as Hinata was." Tenten jumped into the conversation.

"Hey I wasn't _that_ bad." Hinata said quietly. They all laughed except for Sasuke who mostly stayed to himself in the back of the group. Most of them already forgetting the Uchiha.

"Well Shika if you don't like her then you wont mind this." Ino said with a grin on her face. "HEY TEMARI." Ino screamed.

Temari quickly turned around seeing all the Leaf shinobi and ran to them. Shikamaru quietly whispered to himself. "Troublesome."

"Hey what are you guys doing here?" Temari said looking mostly at Shikamaru. No one answered, they waited on Shikamaru. Seeing that he was put on the spot Shikamaru thought he might as well roll with it.

"We came to visit everyone." Shikamaru spoke lazily.

"Really well, Kankuro is somewhere, probably a bar. And Gaara and Sakura should be in the Gaara's office. Come on I'll take you to them."

"Well Naruto went off ahead, you know him." Shikamaru said back.

"Yeah that's so Na-" Temari stopped halfway. Shikamaru had walked forward giving Temari a view of Sasuke who mostly hidden by the small group. She stared at him, the same fear that had come over her the night before while she stood looking outside of her house seeped back into her. "Why is he here?" Temari said coldly. _And why am I feeling this way? Again?_

Everyone turned around looking at Sasuke but he only stared back at Temari. Sasuke began walking forwards. Temari was frozen, her body would not move. Everyone tensed ready to stop Sasuke in the event anything happened. He only calmly walked forward, towards Temari.

Sasuke spoke, his voice chilling to the bone. "We better get going. Naruto is waiting for us." He continued to walk passing Temari and heading off in the direction Naruto went. Everyone followed quietly. After a few minutes of silence Hinata began telling Temari of Sasuke's return to the village.

"So he just shows up one day at the village out of the blue saying that he had left Orochimaru and that he wanted to be a Leaf ninja again." Hinata nodded. Temari looked down at the Hyuuga girl with a bewildered look. "And they just let him stay?"

"Well Naruto made sure that there would be no formal interrogation or anything like that."

"So he got off scot-free?" Temari said appalled.

Shikamaru was the one to answer now. "Basically yes." They all walked on in silence from then.

Back at the Kazekage's tower, Naruto rushed into the lobby. There was a lone receptionist.

"How may I help you?" She asked.

"Um, where is Gaara's office?"

"The _Kazekage's_ office is on the second floor at the end of the hall to the right. But he's busy right now."

"Thanks." Naruto said ignoring the last part of what the receptionist said.

"Wait you can't go in there!"

Gaara and Sakura heard the commotion from downstairs but totally disregarded it. They were too enveloped in each other. Naruto hurried up the stairs almost running head first into Kankuro.

"Hey Kankuro."

"Naruto what you doing here?" Said the puppet master surprised at seeing an old friend.

"Visiting, everyone's here. Where's Gaara and Sakura?" Naruto panted.

"In Gaara's office but... Wait Naruto!" Kankuro called after Naruto who had run off. Kankuro gave him chase. _Damn, Gaara said the he wanted no one to disturb him._

Naruto ran down the hall and turned facing the door labeled _Kazekage's office._ He quickly opened the door and ran in. He looked in and went wide-eyed. Sakura was still straddled on Gaara but had lost her top. Her bare back was exposed to Naruto. Kankuro walked in, totally stopping when he saw Sakura in front of him. She turned in her surprise exposing her breasts to them both.

Gaara just sat in surprise seeing his older brother and his best friend too shocked to be angry or take any action. Sakura jumped off Gaara retrieving her top from the floor and slipping it on. "Naruto I'm going to _kill _you." She walked up to Naruto raising a fist but the reality that she was seeing her old teammate who she had not seen in so long hit her, before she could hit Naruto. All the anger washed away from her. She jumped at Naruto hugging him. Naruto still in shock at seeing her exposed like that had not moved. And Naruto knew better than to press the issue with Sakura. He was never a fan of needless violence especially needless violence directed at him. And in the case of Sakura, needless violence was her thing, _especially_ when it was directed at him.

"Na-Naruto it has been s-so long." Sakura said holding back the tears that fought to escape.

"What's wrong Sakura-chan you're sounding so much like Hinata." Naruto teased his bubblegum haired friend.

"You fool..." Sakura spoke her tears spilling out of her. Naruto just laughed and accept her hug. Gaara came walking around to greet his old friend. He stuck out his hand and Naruto gratefully took it.

"So what brings this _impromptu_ visit?" Gaara smiled at the blond.

"Well we thought to visit you guys." Naruto said with his usual dumb wide grin.

"We?" Sakura said confused. As if her question summoned them, all of the Leaf ninja came walking down the hall, all except one. Leading them was Ino ecstatic to see her best friend.

"Ino-pig?" Sakura looked up at her blond friend walking in through the door.

"Well is that any way to say hi forehead girl?"

Sakura ran and hugged Ino she looked behind her and saw all her old friends and fellow ninja.

Naruto looked at their numbers noticing the absence of one of them. "Where is he?" Naruto asked to no one in particular.

"He's outside." Shino simply said.

"He didn't want to come in." Tenten smugly put.

"Well I'll go get him." Naruto said.

"Wait-" Ino looked away from Sakura hearing Naruto rush out, she tried to stop him but he was out the door before she could even react. "Naruto... this won't turn out good." Ino sighed under her breath. _This won't turn out good at all._

"Who is he talking about?" Sakura inquisitively said.

"Well it's best I tell you before he comes." Ino said rather in a voice Sakura had never thought hearing coming from her headstrong friend's mouth, it was worry. "It would save so much trouble."

"What is it?... What's wrong?" Sakura said growing more worried.

"Well it's that... um... it's that we... um..." Ino stumbled over her words.

"We found him." Tenten let out.

"Who?" Sakura said more confused now than worried.

"DAMN IT... GET IN THERE NOW!" Naruto screamed from the end of the hall.

Footsteps could be heard going towards them. Everyone moved away from the door. All of them had some mixture of suspense, worry, or anticipation on their faces. They did not know what would happen now. Gaara straightened up at Sakura's side.

Through the door came Sasuke. He looked up, his hair covering some of his face. He wore his old attire from before he defected from Konoha. Sakura saw him and felt faint. She had given up hope in finding him again and there he was like a ghost from her past. She grabbed on to Gaara's arm for support. Sasuke looked at Sakura, his face emotionless. He shifted his eyes to Gaara. Gaara stared back. For a few moments all was silent. No one dared to move. Gaara replayed the night before. He had known he did not imagine those red eyes. And now he was able to place them. They were the legendary Sharingan, now more infamous than legendary. Sasuke had been there, he had been spying on them... but why? Anger rushed through Gaara's body. He stepped forward towards the Uchiha.

"Why were you here last night?" Gaara asked not masking his anger. Sand slowly rippled through the cracks of the wooden floor below them.

Sasuke only stared at him. Behind him Neji and Hinata activated their Byakugan. Lee readied himself in his stance. Tenten had her scrolls in hand. Kiba and Akamaru let out low growls. Shino only stood there letting his bugs cover his body. Shikamaru and Choji jumped next to Ino who stood ready to use her technique. Kankuro and Temari readied themselves next to each other. Naruto only stood there awestruck at this turn of events.

"ANSWER ME!" Gaara roared. More and more sand poured from the cracks of the floor. The wooden floor slowly disappeared under everyone's feet. Sasuke only stared at Gaara keeping his face expressionless. No one shifted. The air around them thick with tension and energy.

Sasuke looked back at Sakura. He moved away from the Leaf shinobi putting the wall of the office to his back. No one dare stop him.

"Come with me Sakura, you and I will continue the Uchiha legacy. Take pride in me choosing you. Leave that monster and come to me." Sasuke said outstretching his arm beckoning Sakura to his side. Gaara took a step forward but was held back by Sakura's arm on his chest. Sakura stepped forward taking Sasuke's hand.

"Don't call him a monster!" Sakura squeezed Sasuke's hand. He let out a scream as Sakura crushed his hand. She pulled him forward using her free hand to fling him to the other side of the room. Sasuke swiftly recovered standing closer now to the wall that was at his back. Sakura rushed at him hoping to catch him off guard.

"Sakura wait!" Shikamaru called from behind knowing that hand to hand combat was not a good idea with the Uchiha, and past experience reinforced that.

Sakura swung in a large arc at Sasuke's face.

"Chidori Nagashi."

She had enough time to see red eyes glaring at her before she felt a jolt of pain throughout her body, then numbness, then darkness enveloped her completely. Her limp body hit the floor with a dull thud. Her eyes stared blankly up at the roof.

"You bitch." Sasuke spat and kick Sakura's lifeless body. Her body flew limply through the air five feet to Sasuke's left.

"I'LL KILL YOU." Gaara roared. He ran at Sasuke who just stood there, waiting.

Gaara went for a straight on jab. Sasuke smirked knowing he could easily evade his attack. He made to move but found his feet glued to the ground. Tendrils of sand wrapped and around his feet, effectively cutting his movement. Sasuke could only watch as Gaara's fist connected with the side of his face. Just as quickly he was moving away from him. Sasuke flew back smashing into the wall behind him creating a small crater, cracks raced away from Sasuke marking their trail across the wall. Sasuke toppled over onto the ground. That hurt him more than he expected. Blood poured from his face. Four gaping holes the size of dimes adorned his left cheek.

Gaara stood slightly hunched over breathing heavily. Blood dripped from his closed fist. Four spikes of sand protruded from each of Gaara's knuckles. The makeshift but effective brass knuckles of sand grew longer. The spikes extended until they were three inches long.

"Next time I won't make it so shallow." Gaara taunted.

"That hurt..." Sasuke said in his toneless voice. He placed his hand on the nape of his neck. Sasuke cracked his neck moving his head in imaginary circles. From his neck flowed the curse mark. Red flame-like marks ran across Sasuke's face. It continued down the left side of his body. The holes in his face closed up healing perfectly. His previously mangled hand straightened and healed. The curse mark settled turning black once again. Deep red eyes, sharingan eyes, stared into Gaara's soft sky blue ones. "My turn." Sasuke said rushing at Gaara. Naruto jumped in between them bringing Sasuke to a halt.

"SASUKE!" Naruto screamed, his voice slightly distorted by his release of kyuubi's power. Sasuke put distance between him and Naruto. His back was now to the glass of the window. Sasuke took a quick survey of the room. All his former friends and shinobi stood there, along with the sand shinobi. Seeing the situation in front of him, even someone of his caliber couldn't stand a chance against all of them.

_I could take all of them, just not with Naruto here. I'm going to have to separate them._ Sasuke quickly thought to himself. "I'll settle this later." He spoke coldly, spite filling his voice. He directed it mostly towards Gaara and Naruto.

"You're not getting away." Gaara rushed forward. Sasuke formed a blur of hand seals.

_Tiger seal._ Gaara had enough time to think to himself before Sasuke completed his jutsu.

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu."

_Crap._ Gaara thought slamming his hands into the sand covered floor. A wall rushed straight up effectively blocking the attack but also blocking any chance of a counterattack. Gaara released his will over the sand, the wall fell returning to the floor.

"He got away..." Gaara said in a clear voice looking ahead of him. One of the two windows behind his desk lay broken. Some shards of glass rested on the floor. Gaara made to follow out the window but a hand gently grabbed his shoulder. He turned to see the bright blue eyes of Naruto.

"Let him go... for now." He nudged Gaara back and faced him in Sakura's direction. Ino lay over Sakura. Her hands glowed with a green chakra as she made passes over her friends unconscious body.

"She's fine, she's just unconscious." Ino spoke with a not so steady voice.

"Are you sure?" Gaara said running up and kneeling next to Ino but only looked at Sakura.

"Yes, she's just unconscious. Lets just take her to a place so she can rest." Ino stood up letting Gaara pick Sakura off the floor.

"I'm taking her to my house." With that Gaara was gone in a swirl of sand.

"We'll meet you there." Ino spoke to the empty air where Gaara was a moment before.

"Lets go." Naruto said.

"What about Sasuke?" Tenten asked.

Neji began walking towards the door but stopped. "He won't be back anytime soon. He's already well into the desert, beyond where my eyes could follow. He went that way," Neji said pointing north with his finger. "I followed him a little ways until he got into the desert, then I lost him."

"W-Well he turned eastward towards the dunes. After he passed the a small oasis north outside of town." Hinata let out in a low voice.

"You could see that far?" Neji let out not being able to suppress his amazement.

"Y-Yes, nii-sama." Hinata said looking up at her cousin. Naruto came around hugging Hinata from behind giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Looks like you're getting rusty Neji." Naruto said mockingly knowing full well that it was not lack of skill on Neji's part put rather an improvement on Hinata's. Neji only glared at Naruto before walking out the door, Tenten following in suit. Naruto let out a smile.

"Why do you like teasing him so much?" Hinata asked her lover.

"Cause its always funny." Naruto answered giving Hinata another kiss but this time on her lips. He then spoke to everyone. "Well lets go see how Sakura is. And make sure Gaara doesn't do anything stupid." Everyone nodded in agreement. The small crowd of ninjas walked out of the office. Naruto broke off from the small group when he got to the door. He stood at the door looking back at the broken window of the office.

_Baka. Sasuke... What are you thinking?_ Naruto thought to himself.

"Naruto-kun," Hinata's sweet shy voice rang through the hall. "Are you coming?"

"I'll be right there." Naruto took a quick look at the broken window before breaking his eyes awake from the jagged glass. _Damn the Sasuke. He'll never learn._

Naruto stepped out into the hallway closing the door behind him. He looked down the hall at the shy Hyuuga girl who waited for him with endless patience. He smiled at her pushing his worry and weariness down and to the back of his mind. If he didn't, she could read it on him like a book. She and her cousin had a knack for reading people. He walked slowly to the end of the hall. Naruto could feel Hinata's gaze capturing every inch of his movement. He stood in front of her. She looked into his eyes, he could not hide the sadness in those crystal blue eyes. She looked up at him with innocent hazy white eyes.

"I'm so sorry Naruto." Hinata hugged him. Naruto rested his chin on the top of her head. She squeezed him harder. Naruto didn't say a word. He only let the girl he loved embrace him. Tears freely lept from his eyes. They fell on her hair but she did not move nor care.

"I'm alright now. Thank you Hinata," He moved her away from her keeping his hands on her shoulders. "Aishiteru." Naruto looked into her eyes for a second before pulling her into his own embrace.

"Aishiteru Naruto-kun." Hinata said laying her face in his chest.

"Come on the others are probably wondering what happened to us." Naruto said trying to put a more cheerful tone despite his actual feelings. He just did not want to worry the light eyed girl in front of him.

"Lets go." Hinata spoke softly to her blond haired love.

--

Sasuke walked to the mouth of a cave. He looked back towards the east. Far east the hidden village of Sunagakure could barely be seen, even this high in the mountains. From behind him came a voice from inside the cave.

"Sasuke, what do you think you are doing?" The voice spoke not hiding whatever anger he had towards the dark haired boy.

Sasuke did not move. "Why don't you come out of there coward."

A young silver haired man came out of the darkness. The light of the setting sun glinted off his glasses. "I'm no coward Sasuke. And you haven't answered my question."

"None of your business Kabuto." Sasuke spat.

"Really it is my business when you disappear in the middle of the night without a word, especially a week before the deadline."

"Funny you put it that way, _dead_-line?" Sasuke glared at Kabuto.

"Don't be smart with me, you won't really be dead." Kabuto said with a snicker.

"I won't really be alive."

_Real shame that would be._ Kabuto sarcastically thought.

"But like I said before I don't care. So you can take that accusing look and shove it up your ass. I'm not running away. I am no coward." Sasuke looked towards Village Hidden in Sand. "I need to take care of something before... well... do I even need to tell you." Sasuke said this in a voice rarely heard in this Uchiha. One of sadness. Although just as quickly as it came it was gone. "Now Kabuto, be a good lapdog and go tell Orochimaru that I'll be back by the deadline."

This struck a nerve with Kabuto.

_I am no one's lapdog._ Kabuto thought growing angrier. _I won't play his little game._

"Well Sasuke, I may be a lapdog but at least I didn't lose a girl to some nobody with a demon inside of them. What does that make you?"

Kabuto had no time to react to Sasuke's attack. All that he could see was a blur heading towards his face. Sasuke's fist connected with Kabuto's jaw. His jaw and cheek bones cracked under the pressure of the hit producing a sickening noise. Kabuto flew back into the rocky wall behind him. The rock cracked as his body hit. Pieces of rock flew everywhere. Kabuto rocked forward but did not fall. He trained his eyes on Sasuke. The side of his face where Sasuke landed his punch was a mess of torn flesh and visible bone. The flesh was torn mostly away revealing a wide grin of exposed teeth, which led to jagged bone that was his jaw jutting out.

Kabuto did not divert his eyes from Sasuke. A red tinge slowly seeped into his eyes. Kabuto put a hand over his torn face covering his injuries from view. His hand glowed green for a moment and quickly subsided. When he moved his hand away, it revealed his face in perfect condition, the art of a master medic-nin.

More red seeped into his eyes, the red quickly overtaking the white until it was mostly gone save for a small circle around his iris. "You are going to regret that."

Kabuto made to rush at Sasuke but was stopped by a gently placed hand on his shoulder. The red that filled his eyes slowly subsided, although his anger still remained.

"Orochimaru-sama, please forgive me. I seem to have lost myself." As Kabuto said this he slowly backed away making sure to move out of Orochimaru's way, at no time looking into his snakelike eyes. Orochimaru stepped out of the darkness of the cave.

"Leave us Kabuto." Orochimaru hissed out, sounding as snakelike as he looked.

Kabuto walked passed Sasuke.

"That's a good lapdog." Sasuke let out, smirking.

Kabuto glared at Sasuke before smiling. "I'll be seeing you around... but not for long." Kabuto laughed before disappearing into a puff of smoke.

"So now what? Another lecture? Well I don't want to hear it." Sasuke said still angry that his fight was interrupted.

"Hmm... No." Orochimaru walked up to Sasuke. "I don't like giving lectures and I've never been one for revenge but... I wouldn't mind watching how you're going to go about this." Sasuke could feel Orochimaru's breath on his face.

Sasuke smirked. "Well I have a few ideas. But I'm going to need a few things."

Orochimaru stared down at the Uchiha, the slits of his snakelike eyes narrowing. Orochimaru let out a laugh that would leave most frozen in terror, but Sasuke only stared at him. "So Sasuke-_kun_," Orochimaru hissed out putting extra emphasis on _kun. _ He moved closer to Sasuke standing right over him, the height difference was unmistakable. Orochimaru smiled as he looked down at his pupil, at his future body. "What will you need?"


End file.
